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DIY Cleaning Products: Cheaper, Healthier and Greener

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We’ve all been there. Someone spills something on a rug, couch or floor and the right cleaning product is nowhere in sight. The initial panic is followed by a trip to the grocery store where you find yourself in an endless aisle of cleaning products unsure of which to pick. Bleach may be the best disinfectant but it’s bad for your home. Aerosol sprays may knock out shower grime but they hardly qualify as green. This paradox of choice of disguises the reality of the situation that the best solution is actually making your own cleaning products. Using a few common household staples you can clean basically any mess you can think of and you can do so know that you are not negatively impacting your family, your pets or the planet.

The Complete List of DIY Cleaners For a Healthier Home

We are big fans of DIY cleaners and believe that once you get the hang of mixing these formulas you will not even notice the difference from your old store bought products.

salt and pepper

All Purpose Cleaner

Mix 1 part white vinegar with 15 parts water and pour into a spray bottle. Adding salt to the mixture adds abrasion that helps tackle tougher stains and caked on grime. If you miss the fresh scent of your store brought brand add a squeeze of lemon and your home will smell like fresh in no time.

Hardwood floors Cleaner

Our old friend white vinegar is the answer again, but this time only dilute slightly with warm water and mop over hardwood for sparkling clean floors. If you can’t bear to part with your Swiffer wet-jet for convenience, try popping the top off and filling it with your homemade solution instead of paying for refills.

If you tried using the all-purpose cleaner and areas by the stove are still clinging to remnants of last night’s dinner, take a sponge and dip it in a mix of water and baking soda to tackle caked on grime. Preventative cleaning is also a must in the kitchen. Keep a cloth handy and wipe down counters with water and dish soap after every meal to avoid any unsightly or odorous build-up.

Cleaning Tricks and Tips For The Whole House

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Cleaning has to be done but who has the time? It is tough to stay on top of cleaning schedule and tasks just pile up once you’ve fallen behind. Well, fret not. This list has cleaning tricks for the whole house that will save you tons of time, effort, and even money.
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DIY Cleanser Scrub

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DIY cleanser scrub from a few simple household ingredientsCleaning solutions that do all the work for you are great but sometimes a little elbow grease is required. Try this simple DIY cleanser scrub to make sure your effort is not wasted.

  • 1 cup of baking soda
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 squirt of dishwashing liquid

The baking soda and dishwashing liquid are both bases so they work well together. A little bit of lemon juice can be added to leave a better scent, but this will be acidic so don’t add much.

The baking soda is the key ingredient for this cleaning solution. It adds an abrasive attribute that helps a ton for scrubbing. Just remember NOT to use this solution for soft or easy to damage surfaces.

So where is the best place to utilize this solution? Surfaces made of glass, porcelain, and hard metal are a good place to start. Also, try using this cleanser scrub on baked-on messes on a stove top or microwave.

More specific messes?

Prevent Fruit Flies

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Fruit is a great addition to any diet but there is always the chance of attracting those little flying pests called fruit flies. It’s not uncommon to find them hovering around a fruit basket, trash can, or a garbage disposal.

Get Rid of Fruit Flies

How to make a fruit fly trapWhen fruit flies show up, they usually appear by the dozens and are hard to kill. Despite their tiny size, they move quite well. Besides, who has the time to be running around with a fly swatter all day killing tiny invaders.

This fruit fly trap from My Blessed Life is the perfect remedy. It is super simple to put together and does all the work for you. All you need is a sheet of paper, jar, vinegar, and liquid dish detergent (optional).

Building a Home Office Part 3: What to do with Old Electronics

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If you’re like us, you have old electronics lying around collecting  dust because you don’t know what to do with them. Read on to find out what options are available.

The ProblemOld printers 640

In my article Building a Home Office Part 1, I told of moving books from our home library to the ladies’ Parlor. While doing so, I was confronted by the two old printers setting on the filing cabinets that we no longer used. They didn’t work as well as they once did, so we  replaced them with new models. Not knowing what to do with them, they just sat there.

Even if they had worked perfectly, our local thrift stores no longer take printers. I could sell them via an online for sale site if I was lucky enough to find someone that could fix them. But I didn’t want to. 

Remove Rust Spots From Silverware

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Oxidation is not kind to silverware and the aftermath is rust spots. Little bits of rust are not a problem, unless left unchecked. Over time they will eat into the metal and leave permanent damage. It only takes a few minutes to remove the rust while it is still only a blemish, so it is best not to leave it until later.

How to clean rust spots from silverware and utensils